Job Description

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This is not a remote position. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at DPS headquarters in Des Moines.

The GTSB is seeking a dedicated staff member to work as Iowa's Statewide Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Program Coordinator (Program Planner 3).

Organization Background:

The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a statewide law enforcement agency committed to serving the people of Iowa with leadership, integrity, and professionalism. We uphold the core values of courtesy, service, and protection, and collaborate with federal, state, and local jurisdictions within the criminal justice community to provide for the safety of people living in or traveling through the State of Iowa.


DPS is comprised of the following divisions:

Iowa State Patrol Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement Iowa State Fire Marshal Division of Professional Development and Support Services Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center Administrative Services Division

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The Iowa Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) has a mission to identify traffic safety issues and through partnerships with city, county, state, and local organizations, develop and implement strategies to reduce death and injury on Iowa's roadways using federally funded grants to improve traffic safety in the State of Iowa.

Primary Responsibilities:

This position serves as Iowa's Statewide Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Program and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement Program (ARIDE) Coordinator ensuring officers across Iowa are properly trained and certified in accordance with International Association of Chiefs of Police standards. These programs train officers to recognize impairment in drivers caused by drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol and addresses a crucial gap in standard field sobriety tests, which primarily focus on alcohol. Drug-impaired driving is a significant and growing problem in Iowa, underscoring the importance of these programs and the need for the position to address this public safety challenge.



The statewide Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Coordinator is responsible for the overall management, coordination, and ethical integrity of Iowa's Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) program, ensuring adherence to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) standards.

Duties and responsibilities include:

Program Oversight

Ensuring that the IACP's International Standards for the DEC program are consistently followed across the state, promoting high ethical standards, and addressing any issues that could bring discredit to the program.

Training Coordination

Planning, coordinating, and managing all DRE-related training events, including DRE schools, instructor training, and continuing education. This involves selecting training locations, choosing qualified candidates and instructors, and ensuring all necessary materials and equipment are available.

Certification Management

Overseeing the entire DRE certification and recertification process, including maintaining training records, reviewing qualifications, and ensuring all DREs are aware of and meet recertification requirements every two years.

Data Collection and Reporting

Acting as a central information clearinghouse and ensuring DREs within their jurisdiction enter their evaluation data into either an in-state or the IACP/NHTSA-approved national database. The coordinator uses this data to justify and report on the program's effectiveness.

Liaison and Communication

Serving as the primary point of contact and a liaison between local law enforcement agencies, the Iowa Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau, IACP, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Resource Management

Assisting with obtaining necessary DRE equipment and supplies and identifying and developing a budget for the program.

Policy and Procedure Development

Working with the Iowa's Statewide DRE Board to assist with recommendations for curriculum revisions, and addressing issues related to the arrest and evaluation process to support the program.

Oversee federally funded highway safety projects

Ensure compliance with federal regulations, manage application and contractual process, train and assist grantees, monitor grants for compliance, and review finance claims.

Additional Requirements:

Candidates must successfully pass a comprehensive background investigation conducted by the Iowa Department of Public Safety investigators before a final letter of employment offer is delivered.


This is not a remote position.

Benefits:

At the State of Iowa, we value our employees' talents and backgrounds, and are committed to your well-being beyond the paycheck. As a valued team member, you will enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes:


Paid Time Off:

Vacation accruals that begin on day one and rollover on a yearly basis Unlimited sick leave accrual Nine (9) paid holidays per year

Insurance Options:

Health - Affordable plans with the state paying more than 90% of premiums Dental - Dental - Free for single coverage and affordable family coverage with access to a vision discount program Life - $20,000 in life insurance free, with an option to purchase additional coverage (*depending upon Collective Bargaining Agreements)
Long-Term Disability Insurance - Available at no cost

Retirement:

IPERS Retirement package offering a lifetime monthly financial benefit for vested employees. For every $1 an employee contributes, the state matches with $1.50 Retirement Investors' Club (RIC) offering a voluntary savings program including a State match of up to $75/month

Flexibility: Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care


Support: Employee Assistance Programs and Employee Discount Programs


To learn more about the benefits of working with the State of Iowa, visit our benefits webpage: Benefits at a Glance | Iowa Department of Administrative Services

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal

Right to Work

laws, which protect employees' rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visitwww.e-verify.gov.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

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Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:



1) Seven years of full-time work experience in the administration or operation/execution (i.e., providing consultation and/or technical assistance to stakeholders, research and analysis, or enforcement of program guidelines/policies/procedures) of a program (i.e., the provision of a service or an administrative oversight/enforcement responsibility).

2) All of the following (a, b, and c):

a. One year of full-time work experience in the administration or operation/execution (i.e., providing consultation and/or technical assistance to stakeholders, research and analysis, or enforcement of program guidelines/policies/procedures) of a program (i.e., the provision of a service or an administrative oversight/enforcement responsibility); and

b. A total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and

c. A total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience.

3) Graduation from an accredited school of law.

4) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes nine months of full-time work as a Program Planner 2 or twenty-seven months of full-time work as a Program Planner 1.



For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description (Download PDF reader).